Kubernetes is not exactly under-the-radar technology. Kubecon, the main event for Kubernetes in the US, was sold out. People such as Sarah Wells, technical director for operations and reliability at The Financial Times, say its phenomenal growth is a sign that the technology is “crossing the chasm” to reach the early adopters.

The key driver behind Kubernetes’ popularity is its ability to help the people whose job is to make sure applications are seamlessly deployed and run on premises and in the cloud. Kubernetes is evolving from supporting simple, stateless applications to sophisticated data-driven applications—and data platform providers are taking note.

ZDNet spoke with two of the trailblazers on the transition from big data to flexible data, DataStax and Hortonworks. Their insights help us map where we are on this journey.

From big data to flexible data
It’s no secret: Big data as we know it is dead. Not that data volume, variety, velocity, and veracity are showing any signs of breaking down—on the contrary. It’s just that the realities of the underlying technology have changed, and with them, the architectures and the economics are changing, too.

Hadoop, for example, which has been the poster child of the big data era, was built in a world with different fundamental assumptions from the world we live in today. A world in which network latency was a major bottleneck and cloud storage was not a competitive option. In that world, most data was on-premises, and making sure data was co-located with compute to avoid having to move them around made a lot of sense.

Today, network latency is less an issue for cloud providers, and there are more of them to choose from, so we are talking about multi-cloud. Furthermore, for an array of reasons, many organizations are also deploying their own private clouds on premises, so we are talking about hybrid cloud. We are facing a situation in which data is still big, but it also needs to be flexible. ]]>Mon, 11 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000From the ebook:

The top cloud providers for 2019 have maintained their positions, but the themes, strategies, and approaches to the market are all in flux. The infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) wars have been largely decided, with the spoils going to Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. But new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, have opened up the field to other players.

Meanwhile, the cloud computing market in 2019 will have a decidedly multi-cloud spin, as the hybrid shift by players such as IBM, which is acquiring Red Hat, could change the landscape. This year’s edition of the top cloud computing providers also features software-as-a-service (SaaS) giants that will increasingly run more of your enterprise’s operations via expansion.

One thing to note about the cloud in 2019 is that the market isn’t zero sum. Cloud computing is driving IT spending overall. For instance, Gartner predicts that 2019 global IT spending will increase 3.2 percent to $3.76 trillion with as-a-service models fueling everything from data center spending to enterprise software.

In fact, it’s quite possible that a large enterprise will consume cloud computing services from every vendor in this guide. The real cloud innovation may be from customers that mix and match the following public cloud vendors in unique ways.]]>Mon, 11 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000From the download:

Regardless of size, industry, or geographical location, just about every business enterprise is either currently reaping the benefits of cloud-based computing services or soon will be. However, those enterprises actively refraining from deploying cloud solutions are dooming themselves to mediocrity, obsolesce, and failure. Cloud computing is no longer a pie-in-the-sky aspiration. Cloud solutions are standard operating procedure for any business planning a strategy to be successful in a globally competitive market.

In the universe of broadly integrated cloud-based enterprise-wide business solutions, three services stand out as industry leaders: Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, and Alphabet's Google Cloud. Because of the sheer number of products offered, the list of services provided by each company can seem overwhelming, and the terminology is sometimes confusing.

Effectively measuring, contrasting, and comparing the details of products and services offered by Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud will require a systematic approach, preferably one that generates documentation that decision makers can use to support their conclusions. The following guideline and accompanying vendor comparison tool provide a simple method for comparing each service and for making vendor decisions that best suit your enterprise.
]]>Mon, 01 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000From the glossary:

The days of purchasing expensive onsite hardware, developing systems to power it, and hiring departments of personnel to keep the machines and systems up and running are long gone.

Contracting with cloud platform service providers is the only way enterprises can achieve the infrastructural scale and scope they are looking for to stay competitive. Beyond infrastructure, the largest cloud platform service providers, namely Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, also offer a plethora of specialized services like AI and machine learning that individual enterprises could never afford to create on their own.

As is the case with most technological advances, the jargon and numerous acronyms associated with cloud platform services can be confusing and a bit esoteric. This quick glossary of common cloud platform terms will help you get a handle on the vocabulary so you can understand how these services may affect your business success.

Access control
An integrated system that limits access to various cloud services using common credential and authentication tools, like passwords, biometrics, and physical security. For cloud platforms, the access control system is often integrated with existing authentication protocols, such as Active Directory.

Backend-as-a-service (BaaS)
A platform-provided service that gives developers tools, in the form of SDKs and APIs, that allow access to storage, user management systems, push notification protocols, social network platforms, and any other feature typically defined as a backend system. ]]>Wed, 26 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000From the guidelines:

The benefits of cloud computing services for business enterprises have been well documented. All manner of businesses, particularly of the Fortune 500 variety, have been taking advantage of cloud-based flexibility, scalability, and cost savings for years with great success and noteworthy satisfaction. Companies that have implemented cloud computing systems have gained a competitive advantage over businesses that have been slower to adopt this technology.

Many small to midsize businesses (SMBs) have also achieved a competitive advantage from cloud-based services, but the adoption rate in this cohort has been muted by an understandable level of uncertainty and a reluctance to fix what isn’t broken. To be sure, there are always risks involved when changing established business systems to something new. However, when thoroughly researched, properly vetted, and painstakingly planned for, implementing a successful cloud-based transformation can reap significant long-term benefits for just about any SMB.

These selection guidelines will help you establish what your business needs from a cloud-based integrated management system. Once you narrow your choices to a short list of potential vendors based on objective characteristics, you can vet those vendors on more subjective—yet equally important—criteria.]]>Mon, 17 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000Digital transformation initiatives and project work continue to expand in companies of all sizes, industries and geographic locations as the world moves closer to a digital economy.

Tech Pro Research conducted surveys in both 2017 and 2018 to see how and where companies are implementing digital technology, the benefits and challenges of digitalization, and how digital vendors can best serve companies. Both the 2017 and 2018 surveys asked some of the following questions:

Does your company have a comprehensive digital strategy, or are you working on one?

Who’s asking for digital transformation technology in your company?

Which digital technology has brought your company the greatest benefit?

What are, or what have been, the biggest challenges to implementing digital transformation technology?

What digital technologies have failed to deliver the benefits that you thought they would?

What percentage of your IT budget do you plan to spend on digital transformation technologies?

Digital transformations continue to exist at relatively early experiential stages at many companies. Because many organizations lack experience with digitalization, there is a tendency to rely on digital technology vendors for guidance and support. Companies are also implementing digital technology where they can easily envision a return on investment that produces efficiency in company operations.

This report contains all the data, plus analysis, from the survey. For details on future Tech Pro Research surveys, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

The list of advantages to cloud computing includes lowered operational costs, greater technological flexibility, and the ability to rapidly implement new systems or services. Gains in business continuity are an especially noteworthy attraction to cloud services, which operate via remote systems that remain running in the event of a local disaster, such as a hurricane or power outage.

However, cloud computing has also opened up new opportunities for impact by security threats or lost data. Storing files outside the organization can pose a greater risk for data breaches due to mishandled files and credentials or failure to follow security best-practice controls. Cloud services might shut down or employ individuals who pry into customer data and extract company secrets. Files kept in the cloud might not be covered by any service agreement relating to the restoration of lost or corrupt data. Files synchronized to unprotected personal devices might then become compromised if these devices are lost or stolen. Finally, many cloud providers may utilize facilities in countries or territories that may utilize different standards or regulations or that might subject company data to international or export restrictions.

In short, a significant set of concerns arises when it comes to the risk of using cloud services. These risks are compounded further by the often decentralized role IT plays in cloud computing, which can easily be set up by users with just a few mouse clicks and no money down. It could take bare moments for critical or sensitive data to be sent offsite, either deliberately or by mistake.

Therefore, to protect the organization and its employees it is critical to establish a clear and firm policy governing how company data is to be kept (or not) in the cloud.
]]>Wed, 16 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000From the ebook:

Edge computing is computing resources (e.g., servers, storage, software, and network connections) that are deployed at the edges of the enterprise. For most organizations, this requires a decentralization of computing resources so some of these resources are moved away from central data centers and directly into remote facilities, such as offices, retail outlets, clinics, and factories.

Some IT professionals might argue that edge computing is not that different from traditional distributed computing, which saw computing power move out of the data center and into business departments and offices several decades ago. Edge computing is different because of the way it’s tethered to IoT data that is collected from remote sensors, smartphones, tablets, and machines. This data must be analyzed and reported on in real time so its outcomes are immediately actionable for personnel at the site.

IT teams in every industry use edge computing to monitor network security and to report on malware and/or viruses. When a breach is detected at the edge, the threats can be quarantined, thereby preventing a compromise of the entire enterprise network.

From a business standpoint, here is how various industries use edge computing:

Corporate facilities managers use IoT and edge computing to monitor the environmental settings and the security of their buildings.

Semiconductor and electronics manufacturers use IoT and edge computing to monitor chip quality throughout the manufacturing process.

Grocery stores monitor their cold chains to ensure that perishable food requiring specific humidity and temperature levels during storage and transport are maintained at those levels.

Mining companies deploy edge computing with IoT sensors on trucks to track the vehicles as they enter remote areas. These companies also use edge computing to monitor equipment on the trucks in an attempt to prevent goods in transit from being stolen for resale in the black market.

]]>Tue, 24 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000From the glossary:

For enterprises around the world, cloud computing has changed the way work gets done. By bringing benefits like scalability, cloud computing has given enterprises the flexibility to adapt to changes in the marketplace that traditional on-premise information technology infrastructure could never accomplish as efficiently. The variable speed at which enterprise data flows through an organization requires computational power that only cloud-based systems can provide.

One of the primary ways enterprises accomplish this level of adaptability and scalability is with the use of a hybrid cloud system. By combining system elements from on-premise systems, private cloud networks, and third-party public cloud services, enterprises can achieve a unique infrastructure that matches their information technology requirements at any point in time. And because the mix can be modified when necessary, that infrastructure can be adapted to changing conditions almost immediately, as needed.
]]>Tue, 12 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000About this tool:

The Cloud migration decision tool is best used on an application-by-application basis.

Use the dropdown menu in each cell in the Weights row (gold color) to assign a value to each decision factor located in the top row. Choose 1 for the least important factor and 7 for the most important.

In the Move To Cloud and Stay On Premise rows (peach color), enter a value reflecting how well the options satisfy each decision factor—from 1 (least) to 3 (most) for each option.

The tool will multiply the value you assigned for each decision factor by the weight you selected from the dropdown menu. The total score for each choice will appear in the farthest column to the right. The highest score calculated by the tool will be highlighted in green.
]]>Thu, 07 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000Most organizations enter the market of on-demand IT services with Software as a Service. But in addition to SaaS, companies can now use platforms, infrastructure and more in the cloud, consuming services as needed. With the public cloud services market positioned to grow in the coming years, Tech Pro Research conducted a survey to find out what services companies are offloading from in-house IT, why they made the decision, and what outcomes have occurred.

The survey, which was conducted in September 2017, asked the following questions:

What IT functions is your company using as a service?

What business functions is your company using as a service?

Why did you decide to use outside service providers instead of in-house IT?

What IT functions are you considering shifting to a provider?

What business functions are you considering shifting to a provider?

Which providers are you using for your business and IT functions?

What problems has your company had with service providers?

What positive experiences has your company had with service providers?

When asked why their company chose to go the as-a-service route instead of using systems created in-house, half of respondents cited automatic maintenance offered by vendors as a reason. Slightly less than half said that lower cost in terms of deployment and maintenance, and faster time to deployment, were advantages of the as-a-service model. Many respondents also said their company worked with vendors because they didn’t have the in-house expertise to deploy services they use, or that the company needed to free up the IT department for other tasks.

On average, respondents said their companies use two to three business functions and two to three IT functions as a service. The most popular IT functions were data center/computing services and backup/disaster recovery services. The most popular business functions were email services and productivity apps like word processing and spreadsheets.

To find out more IT and business functions companies are using as a service, download the full report.

Every month, Tech Pro Research releases an original research report on a different topic related to business technology. Here are some past reports:

]]>Mon, 30 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0000Tue, 03 Oct 2017 16:09:12 +0000Introduction
No matter what business your enterprise is in, developing a better, more complete relationship with your customers will always be beneficial to your bottom line. The cloud-based customer relations management (CRM) system offered by Salesforce.com has emerged as one of the more powerful platforms available in this regard. However, to get the most out of the tools included in the Salesforce system, enterprises must hire employees with the right skills and experience.

The position of Salesforce developer can include a range of skills, capabilities, and experience. In some cases, a position could require a developer with experience in creating end-user apps and dashboards, while in other cases, the position might require someone with experience working in a high-pressure agile development environment. Of course, you’ll want to customize your advertised job description to meet your enterprise’s current requirements.

One of the most important skills for any Salesforce developer is the ability to communicate and work with others in a collaborative environment. For some positions, interpersonal skills are actually going to be more important to overall success than technical expertise. It is likely that Salesforce developers will be required to work with personnel from all levels of the organization, so having a clear understanding of the inner workings of an enterprise is key.
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